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Susan tightened her lips and nodded. “It disappeared along with Trey.”
Gerald let out a sigh. “We always felt that Trey’s bike was the key to this whole thing. Otherwise, why didn’t the killer leave the bike at the bottom of the driveway?”
“How thoroughly were those woods searched?” Brogan wanted to know.
Susan shifted her weight in the well-worn La-Z-Boy. “We were told they used search dogs on three separate occasions to try and pick up a scent and never got anything.”
“Interesting,” Lucien muttered. “Not one dog picked up the scent. How is that possible unless Elliott and Trey got shoved into a car? And if the car didn’t happen, what direction did the two boys go if they ran from the killer? Surely, Trey would’ve made a mad dash for home with Elliott in tow.”
Brogan pounced on that idea and kept it going. “Was there anywhere in the woods that Trey might’ve felt safe enough to run for cover, even for a few hours until the coast was clear?”
“Not that I know about,” Susan admitted. “His treehouse had long been torn down. Someone in the neighborhood complained about how dangerous and unsteady it looked. They must’ve talked the county into smashing it up. It seemed like it happened overnight. Trey and his friends had used that place over the years as a refuge, a fort, a pirate ship, you name it. And then suddenly it was gone.”
“When was that?” Lucien asked.
“About two years before the murders. Trey would’ve been around twelve at the time. When I asked him how he felt about it getting torn down, he shrugged it off and said he was too old for treehouses.”
“Did you believe him?”
“No,” Susan said with a smile. “I thought he was putting on a brave face and didn’t want to admit he’d miss the place. He used to spend so much time there. He probably could’ve found his way in the dark.”
Brogan finished her cake and put the plate back on the coffee table. “Could you point us to where the treehouse stood?”
Gerald spoke up. “I can do better than that. I’ll take you there. Don’t expect too much. Those woods have gone the way of most land development around here. There are a lot fewer trees than twenty years ago.”
“We just need to see the approximate spot and how it relates to the Dolworth crime scene, how far it is,” Lucien pointed out. “If things heated up at the summer house, how far would Trey have had to run carrying a toddler to get away?”
“The treehouse was less than a quarter of a mile,” Gerald noted. “But there’s still an old barn on the property and several outbuildings another quarter mile or so. You see, this land used to be a dairy farm. Now, the place sits abandoned, gathering tumbleweeds and dust.”
“But a barn?” Lucien muttered, exchanging looks with Brogan. “I wonder. Is it possible that Trey could’ve taken off for those buildings, using them for cover, even if the treehouse was no longer there?”
Gerald’s eyes widened.
Before the father could respond, Lucien added, “I don’t want to get your hopes up. It’s a longshot, averyunlikely longshot.”
“I don’t care. At this stage, I’d check out the gates of hell to find any sign that my boy left the area another way.”
“You’re not going without me,” Susan said, shoving to her feet. “I’ll grab flashlights in case we’re still out there when it gets dark.”
With a sudden flicker of hope filling the room, Brogan crossed to where Lucien stood at the window and whispered, “I’m not sure this is such a good idea.”
Lucien lowered his voice. “I feel the same way. I was thinking out loud. I didn’t mean to get their hopes up.”
“While my heart breaks for them, they need action more than words. Walking out there might make them feel like they’re doing something after all this time.”
“I’ll let Gerald take the lead then. We’re here for support,” Lucien muttered about the same time Gerald and Susan appeared carrying tote bags.
Gerald held up his. “Susan insisted on bringing snacks.”
“Just those little packages of cheese and crackers I like to keep on hand. And some snacks for your dogs. There’s bottled water, too,” Susan added. “And a bunch of grapes I found in the crisper that needs eating.”
Gerald rolled his eyes. “Jeez, Sue. We’re not going on safari.”
“That may be, but I’m also bringing two umbrellas. It looks like it could open up and pour any minute, like it did last night. Never can be too prepared.” She winked toward Brogan. “He’ll thank me when it starts raining.” She looked down at Brogan’s feet and the sandals she wore. “Those are super cute. I hope they don’t get ruined.”
Brogan glanced down at her stacked wedge heels. She’d worn them because they didn’t hurt her feet and looked great with her jeans. “You think it’s too muddy for these.”
Susan cackled with laughter. “Oh, honey, this subdivision backs up to rural country on three sides. You can’t get much more rustic and earthy than that.”
